In late December 2024, Zourabichvili stated that a new election was needed and that the process of preparing a new election would have to be done by 29 December 2024.[2] She invited Georgian Dream (GD) founder Bidzina Ivanishvili to negotiate the procedure.[3] She stated that a council would be created if Ivanishvili refused to negotiate.[4] On 24 December she discussed procedures for a new election with leaders of the four main opposition coalitions and non-governmental organisations.[5]
Street protests took place following the election, during November and December. There was intense police repression, including 460 detentions of protestors and the torture or other ill-treatment of 300 of the detainees by police. Eighty detainees were hospitalised with severe injuries including fractured bones, concussions and other head injuries. As of 13 December 2024[update], the courts had "largely ignored" the evidence of torture and the right to a fair trial. Amnesty International described the police and justice system as "appear[ing] weaponized to intimidate, harass and crackdown on protestors and silence peaceful dissent, reflecting institutionalized repression". Amnesty presented its own 13 case studies of injured protestors and its analysis based on interviews, document analysis and photo and video documentation.[6]
On 28 November 2024, the European Parliament adopted a text by 444 votes to 72, with 82 abstentions, stating that the October 2024 parliamentary election was held in a way "incompatible with the standards expected from an EU candidate country", that the Parliament did not recognise the election, and calling for the election to be "re-run within a year, with the process conducted in an improved electoral environment."[7]
Preparations for an early 2025 election
On 21 December 2024, Zourabichvili stated that the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) 20 December 2024 report on the conduct of the 26 October 2024 election[8] strengthened the need for a new election. She called for the election to be held "immediately" and stated that she was willing to meet with Georgian Dream (GD) founder Bidzina Ivanishvili to discuss the organisation of a new election. She stated that finding a constitutionally valid way of organising a new election should be "very easy" to negotiate. Zourabichvili stated that she would address protestors in front of Parliament at 21:00 GET on 22 December.[2] The following day, Kobakhidze threatened to imprison Zourabichvili if she called for a new election or if she failed to leave the presidential residence on 29 December.[9]
On the evening of 22 December, Zourabichvili gave a speech at the daily protest in Tbilisi. Zourabichvili stated that she remained president "of all Georgians" and commander-in-chief of the Defence Forces of Georgia, and that she would "remain faithful" to Georgian army veterans who marched in the evening's protest. She stated that arrangements for a new election had to be decided by 29 December. She called on Ivanishvili, as the person who "governs everything", to visit her in the presidential palace on 23 December to negotiate the conditions of the new election.[3] Zourabichvili stated the following day that if Ivanishvili didn't cooperate in organising a new election, then a council would be created with the sole mandate of organising a new election. She stated that the Kobakhidze government was "collapsing on its own".[4]
On 24 December, Zourabichvili held a working meeting with opposition and non-governmental organisation (NGOs) representatives to work on plans for a new election either in cooperation with GD or without it. Coalition for Change (Georgia) (CfC) leader Nika Gvaramia stated that a joint document, prepared by the opposition and NGOs was given to Zourabichvili. Gvaramia stated that a possible procedure would be the dissolution of Parliament by Zourabichvili under her presidential powers. Dimitri Tskitishvili [ka] of For Georgia stated that "the basic framework of our opinions is ready". Badri Japaridze [ka] of Strong Georgia described the discussion as "very useful and good ... about how new elections should be held, under what conditions, in order to eliminate the irregularities" and commented on Zourabichvili's willingness to negotiate with Ivanishvili. Giorgi Vashadze, one of the leaders of Unity – National Movement (UNM), stated that on 25 December, Zourabichvili would "talk about organizational mechanisms – what mechanism will lead the political-social process that Georgia needs".[5]
On 29 December, when the President elected by the self-convened parliamentary session,[10]Mikheil Kavelashvili, was inaugurated by members of GD, Zourabichvili called on citizens and opposition parties to work on the procedures for the new election, stating that the election plan was a concrete project, as the only solution to the crisis, and not just rhetoric. She said that her immediate plans included meeting with business leaders, students, governmental officials, protestors from Batumi and Kutaisi as well as foreign leaders.[11]
